Monday, March 19, 2018

Sunshine

Hi,

Monday in Perth was hot.  We had a cold weekend so this was a nice change.  At home in Chiang Rai it’s been storming, but it should be nice for our return tomorrow night.  

The ‘Old School Friday’ song was “Waltzing Matilda” by Christina MacPherson, written in 1895 and published in 1903.  I mention the history because it’s been around a long time.  Ask Mr. Google what it means (5).  For our ‘Easy Monday’ song we’re still in Australia, so hang on:  “Well, you can tell by the way I walk my walk, I’m a woman’s man: no time to talk.  Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around since I was born.  And now it’s all right.  It’s OK, and you may look the other way.  We can try to understand, the New York Times effect on man…”  Hint:  The artists are Australian, the song was in a big movie about discos, etc. 

As you know by now, we didn’t have an internet connection on Friday night.  Oh, the connection was there, down the hill at the reception area.  The thought of walking down in the cold rain, then back up the hill was just too much to digest.  There was no service in the cabins.  The withdrawal was not as bad as imagined (555).  It’s going to take about a week to do a show-and-tell about this week in Oz.  

The weekend, overall, was great.  We got to see a triathlon up close and personal.  There’s a lot to know and a lot to do.  According to a sign at the lake, the water was very cold.  I don’t doubt it, since the air was very cold.  The ‘resort’ was full of racers and their families.  It was an interesting experience, like a family camp.  Many of the racers were from clubs so they knew each other.  A lot of the clubs compete together so it was a very connected group.  We watched the race in segments.  It was shorter than a normal ‘Tri’ so we had breaks while they rode bikes in the woods, and when they did laps in and out of the main area.  It becomes a thing of encouraging all the runners and it’s fun.  By the end of it all, our bodies felt worked out from climbing the hill to the cabin about 4 times.  

Sunday morning we left the Karri Valley Resort and went further south.  Our destination was the southernmost tip of Western Australia (WA).  We traveled through beautiful countryside, saw more animals, vineyards, and villages.  At a gas stop somewhere out there, I heard a different accent from the owner.  I also heard a tune on the radio and Shazamed it.  It was by an African woman.  Ironically, as we left, we saw the Zimbabwe flag out front.  That explained his different accent.  It also sparked a conversation of speculation as to when he arrived in WA.  

Language in Australia is a very interesting thing.  In theory, it’s all English.  In practice, there are so many regional dialects, vocabulary, and nuances, that even some Ozzies have trouble understanding their own countrymen.  In the east, there is a little lilt at the end of phrases.  The tone goes up.  In the west it stays flat.  Overall, we learned that ‘R’ at the end of a word becomes an ‘A’.  So, father becomes fatha, meter becomes meta, etc.  It’s difficult to articulate on paper, but it’s real.  

Cape Leeuwin was the area where we went to the spot where the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean come together.  The lighthouse was the main feature, although the ocean view was more interesting.  We could have taken a tour of the lighthouse but that would have meant climbing the tiny spiral staircase.  Knees said no! 



After our visit to the cape, we drove north to another beach area called Surfers Point.  It’s also called the ‘Margaret River Bombie’, which produces big waves and lots of surprises.  We ate lunch and watched the waves for awhile.  A few surfers were riding some 12-foot waves. 

We finally got home, relaxed and then went out to a fancy Thai restaurant for dinner.  The food was OK, but not ’Thai Thai’.  More of a fusion style, but good.  

Have a Great Week.

                  Peace,
                            Danny 

"Wherever you go, no matter
what the weather, always bring
your own sunshine.”
~Anthony J. D'Angelo

No comments: